Heat-exchange apparatus



Feb;19,1929. 1,702,321

- R. L. SMITH I HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 16. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

InvenTor. Roland L. Smith 1 2 2 3 a hJ 2 e H. 0 .m .m r. W l t 0 f 1.1 .m @L 2 v I, 0 w d M R H P. 2 y M 1. b fig Lmnw Rum 1 F E H Feb. 19, 1929.

At'rys.

Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES ROLAND L. SMITH, F BELMONT, MSSACKUSETTS.

HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS.

Application filed February 1%, 1926. Serial No. 88,719.

In the embodiment of the invention herein means for reenforcing the upper wall of the heatin unit when the heating unit is used as a floor oard. v

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description,-when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof,

- while its scope will be more particularly inted out in the appended claim. In the drawings:

. I Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of an automobile having a water cooled power unit and a radiator, illustrating the invention as applied thereto, a portion of thebody being broken away, and the heating unit/resting upon the floor board shown in section Fig 2 is a plan view of the heating unit located upon the floor board lying in front of the front seat of the automobile;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view longitudinally of the heating unit; and Fig. 4: is an enlargeddetail view through the section of the conduit leading from the water jacket to the radiator and illustrating the pipes communicating wi h the intake and delivery sections thereof through which 40 water is supplied to the heating unit-and returned therefrom to the conduit.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodmient of the invention which is selected for exemplification, there is shown novel means for heating the body of an automobile or other vehicle, the invention being shown herein as applied to an automobile having a power unit comprising a usual type of water jacketed internal combustion engine.

The body 1 of the automobile is illustrated herein as ofthe closed car type, but it will be understood that the invention may be employed in an open car or in an other type of vheicle, or in any enclosure w ich surrounds or is in the vicinity of a water jacketed power being provided to in PATENT OFFICE.

unit. The power unit 2 may be of any usual type of internal combustion engine having a. water acket with a conduit 3 leading there from to the radiator 4. In the present example, a pump 5, the intake of which is connected by a pipe 6 to the lower portion of the radiator, delivers water through a pipe 7 to the jacket of the engine and maintains a cont nuous circulation, while the engine is runnmg, through the water jacket, the conduit 3 and radiator 4. In some types of power units, the water through the water jacket and radiator 1S maintained in circulation by thermosiphonic action, and it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to water circulating systems of this type.

v The present invention comprises means for utllizing the heat-from the water jacket of the power unit by diverting from one portion of the system, a portion of the water passing therethroug'h, utilizing the heat} from the water thus diverted, and by returning the same water to another portion of the system, thereby maintaining a continuous circulation of a substantially uniform volume of water through the water jacket and radiator. The water thus diverted herein is employed as a heat trans orting means to transmit its heat to heat uti izing-means such as aradiator unit located in a suitable portion of the vehicle or enclosure. Herein, the radiating unit employed for heating an'automobile comprises a thin, hollow receptacle adapted to rest upon or to be used as a floor board for the vehicle, and presenting a broad, fiat, upper surface.

In usual engines, the conduit for returning the water from the water jacket to the radiator comprises a pipe or nipple 8 leading from the water jacket, a nipple 9 leading to the radiator, with the conduit 3 extending from the nipple 8 to the nipple 9. In many instances, this connection is formed of flexible material, such as a section of rubber hose.

In the present embodiment of the invention, a portion of the water passing through 100 the conduit is diverted from one section thereof to the heating unit, and the water thus di-, verted is returned to the other section of the conduit.

In the construction illustrated herein, the 105 conduit 3 is provided intermediate its ends with a dam which is formed asan annular rib 10, thus providing a restricted passage 11 through which the water passes from the water jacket to the radiator. This rib, thereno ently to be described, tained through these fore, divides the conduit into two sections 12 and 13, which may be designated as an intake section and a delivery section for the water flowing from the water jacket to the radiator. A pipe 14. communicates with the intake section 12, and herein is provided with a valve 15. A similar pipe 16 communicates with the delivery section 13, and herein is provided with a valve 17. Pipes 18 and 19, leading from the respective pipes 14 and 16, communicate with the chamber of a heating unit prescirculation being mainpipes and through the heating unit by reason of the difference in pressure in the intake section 12 and the delivery section 13 of the conduit 3.

Herein, flexible pipes 18 and 19 may be employed, so that the unit may be placed in any desirable part of the vehicle.

In the construction illustrated herein, a novel form of heating unit is employed, which is so constructed as to form a floor board of the vehicle. This heating unit is in the form of a thin receptacle of generally rectangular form, and herein is of such length as to extend the entire width of the body of the vehicle in which it is used. The receptacle disclosed herein is made of sheet metal having an upper wall 20, presentin a flat upper face, and a lower wall 21 paral el therewith and narrowly spaced therefrom. The edges of one of the walls, herein the upper wall, are turned down and are secured to the other wall by a welded joint 22, thus making a substantially integral, hollow rectangular construction. In order to stiffen the upper wall, one of the walls, herein the lower wall, is stamped up to provide concave-convex reenforcing members 23, which engage the under surface of the upper wall 20, and herein are secured thereto as by being welded thereto. In the present embodiment, the lower wall 21 is spaced from the supporting floor board therebeneath as by short legs 24, conveniently, secured to the lower wall by being welded to the lower wall 21, thereby elevat ing the latter to permit the circulation of air therebeneath, thus to utilize the heat radiated under the side of the lower wall. The inlet and outlet pipes 25 and 26 herein extend through the lower wall 21 at suitable intervals, desirably near the opposite end portions thereof, so that the water will be circulated through the chamber of the receptacle.

As illustrated herein, the flexible pipe 18, which leads from the intake section of the conduit 3, is connected to the intake pipe 25 of the heating unit and the outlet pipe 26 of the heating unit is connected by the pipe 19 to the delivery chamber of the conduit 3.

In the operation of the device, therefore,

the circulation of the water immediately begins upon the starting of the engine as the usual pump 6 is operated during the entire period the engine is running. As soon as the engine is started, the water in the water jacket absorbs heat from the engine cylinders, and in a very short time the Water, which is discharged from the water jacket through the conduit 3, becomes heated; By reason of the difference in pressure in the intake and delivery sections of the conduit 3, a portion of this heated water is diverted through the pipe 18 into the radiating unit, and is caused to flow therethrough and to be discharged through the pipes 26 and 19 into the delivery section of theconduit 3, where it joins the water which passes through the restricted opening 11 of the conduit 3 and flows therewith into the radiator. Thus all of the water which passes through the water jacket is circulated through the radiator, but a portion of the water is by-passed through the heating unit. By, suitably regulating the valve 15, the amount of water thus by-passed through the heating unit ma be regulated. Further regulation may also he made by adjustment of the valve 17. By closing the valves 15 and 17, all circulation of water through the heating unit may be stopped, and the heating unit, if desired, may then be removed from the vehicle, as would ordinarily be done in summer weather.

In order to provide for the escape of air from the heating unit, a pet-cock 27, herein is located at one of the corners of the heating unit.

The heating unit is illustrated herein as lying upon the floor board before the front partof a usual type of automobile, and as extending from one side of the vehicle to the other. The front portion of the heating unit is provided near its center with a recess 28, through which the control levers 29 and 30 extend. The usual floor mat 31 is placed upon the flat upper surface of the heating unit, and thereby protects the feet from direct contact with the heating unit. Furthermore, if the heating unit becomes too warm for comfort, the occupant may place his foot upon theinclined portion 32 of the floor. As the heating unit lies near the lower edge of the usual doors of the automobile, the cold air entering through the cracksat the bottom of the door will come in contact with the heating unit, either by passing beneath the lower face thereof or by assing in proximity to the upper face, an in either instance the air thus introduced will be heated, and will tend to rise and circulate throughout the body of the car. It ill, of course, be obvious that a suitable heating unit of the type described may be located in front of the rear seat, or in any other part of the vehicle, as may be desired.

It will be und stood that the term water-jacket is used in a broad sense, to include the use of steam cooling fluid medium.

Having thus described one embodiment of or any other suitable the invention, but Without limiting the same same flatwise on said support, one of said thereto, What is claimed as new, and desired walls being indented to provide a projecto be secured by Letters Patent, is: tion which engages the internal surface of Heat exchange apparatus comprising a the other wall and maintains the spacin of 5 support, a thin, hollow, sheet metal receptasaid walls, and means for conducting a uid 15 cle having two narrowly separated, generinto and out of said receptacle. ally parallel, walls, comprising two gener- In testimony whereof, I have signed my ally fiat, sheet metal plates whose edges are name to this specification, secured together, the lower Wall being pro- 10 vided exteriorly with feet to support the ROLAND L. SMITH. 

